System and Method for Securing Charitable Game of Chance Cards and Tickets

ABSTRACT

A method relates to conducting a card based game of chance for a charity wherein a game is played at a plurality of remote play locations and the charity benefits from increased player participation. The method includes distributing game cards to purchasing players at a plurality of remote locations, the game cards containing game data related to the game of chance. At the remote locations and prior to initiation of the game, the game data of each individual game card is exchanged and validated with a central server location. Information is exchanged between the remote location and the central server location. The game of chance is conducted at the remote location and, for any purported winning cards, exchanging game data of such cards with the central server location and performing a post-game validation at the central server location of the purported winning cards.

PRIORITY CLAIM

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional ApplicationSer. No. 60/847,626, filed Sep. 27, 2006.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to lottery games and games of chance. Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to a system and method ofsecuring the paper products, such as cards and tickers, for charitablegame of chance.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

The use of games of chance, such as Bingo and lottery-style games, toraise money for charitable endeavors is well known. A person or entitywishing to host such a charitable game typically purchases one or moreprizes for the game and then sells the bingo card or other ticket topersons at the location who desire to play the game to potentially winthe prizes. The host then controls the game play, such as drawingnumbers for the Bingo game, and then validate winners as players presenttheir winning card or ticket.

There are several difficulties confronting those wishing to host acharitable game. The potential prizes awarded to the players istypically limited to a percentage of what revenue the game is expectedto produce from player entry fees. Thus, the limited size of potentialwinnings disadvantages charitable competitive versus casinos and otherfor-profit gaming endeavors.

Unfortunately, the charitable gaming is often prone to fraudulentactivity. Those who are running the charitable game can easily “fix” thegame to ensure the winning of a prize. Furthermore, the quantity andspecific play areas of game cards given to a player may not be wellvalidated such that a player may not have purchased the winning card, orthat alterations might be made on the card.

Lastly, the charity game is typically run by a volunteer effort, and thevolunteers might not be very savvy to the possible areas of fraud oroverall implementation of the game. The use of volunteer labor can alsomean that the charity game will be understaffed such that even ifadequate tracking of the game cards and tickets is possible, the limitedpersonnel are unable to perform this function.

In view of these limitations, it is desirous to provide a system andmethod whereby charities have the ability to conduct a charitable gamethat has a large prize pool available to its players, while minimizingthe risk for fraud. The system and method of implementing the charitablegame should also be simple to implement and use in validating winningtickets without the need for a large number of skilled personnel. It isthus to such a system and method of securing the tickets and cards of acharitable game of chance that the present invention is primarilydirected.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in thefollowing description, or may be obvious from the description, or may belearned through practice of the invention.

Briefly described, the present invention includes a system and methodfor securing charitable games of chance cards and tickets, such as bingocards, including at least one game server and one or more remoteterminals. In one embodiment, game cards have their data accessible tothe game server and are distributed to the remote terminal locations.The game cards are then validated at the remote terminal through dataexchange with the game server prior to the beginning of the game. Apurported winning ticket is then scanned at the remote terminal and thewinning game card data is verified at the game server, which can comparethe known game card data with the game data to determine if thepresented card is a winning game card.

In another embodiment, the remote terminal marks the cards duringvalidation, such as printing a serial number or bar code on the gamecard. If the game results are known to the game server at the time ofvalidation, the serial number or other marking data can indicate thatthe game card is a winning game card. Other embodiments and uses of thepresent invention are possible with a variety of games of chance, suchas a lottery-style game, keno, and the like.

The present invention therefore allows a person or entity to host a gameof chance to raise funds for a charitable endeavor with the ability tohave a very large prize from the pooling of the funds from a pluralityof locations hosting the same charitable game. The secure game serverand remote terminals minimize the risk of fraud at the variousgame-hosting locations, especially if the game results are known aheadof time such that the ticket validation process at the remote terminalwill become aware of the winning ticket (and can mark same) at initialvalidation. Furthermore, the present system and method has a simplevalidation process and can easily use unskilled and minimally-trainedpersonnel at the remote terminal to run the game at that location.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent after review of the hereinafter set forth BriefDescription of the Drawings, and Detailed Description of the Invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a system diagram of one embodiment of the system with a gameserver hosting the charitable game of chance for a plurality of remoteterminals, each remote terminal has a ticket validation system.

FIG. 2 is a front view of one embodiment of a charity bingo card usablein the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of one embodiment of a process for validation ofthe game card at the remote terminal in conjunction with the gameserver.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of one embodiment of a process for validating gamecard data at the game server, the game card data sent from a remoteterminal.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of one embodiment of a process for validating awinning game card at a remote terminal in conjunction with the gameserver.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of one embodiment of a process for validatingwinning game card data at the game server, the winning game card datasent from a remote terminal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made to particular embodiments of the invention,one or more examples of which are illustrated in the figures. Eachembodiment is presented by way of explanation of the invention, and notas a limitation of the invention. For example, features illustrated ordescribed as part of one embodiment may be used with another embodimentto yield still a further embodiment.

The present invention is a system and method that allows a remotelocation to host a charitable game of chance that can pool the resourcesof numerous entities in hosting a single game of chance. This gives thecharity the ability to have significant prizes that can even competewith for-profit gaming endeavors. The system 10 can use the existingmechanisms and systems for lottery ticket dispensation and validation,such as those implemented for State Lotteries by Scientific Games, Inc.These existing systems have high levels of secure data exchange, andalready have devices for remote validation capabilities ordinarily usedfor lottery ticket dispensation.

As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1, a system 10 includes at least onegame server 12 hosting the charitable game of chance for plurality ofremote terminals 18, and communicating with the remote terminals 18through a network 14. Each remote terminal 18 has a ticket validationsystem (such as scanner 20) that can at least scan information from agame card 22. In one embodiment, the remote terminal 18 also can printinformation on the game card 22 when the game card is initiallyvalidated/activated. The remote terminal 18 can be smart or dumb, andhave resident logic, processing, and communication ability as desired.

One embodiment of a charity bingo card 22 is shown FIG. 2, with an arrayof bingo spaces 24, and the numbers and layout of which are preferablyknown to the game server 12. The Bingo card 22 also includes a bar code26 and a serial number 28. The serial number 28 can be preprinted at thetime the game card is printed, prior to distribution to the gaminglocation, or in one embodiment, can be printed at validation at theremote terminal 18 as described below.

The game card 22 can have its full data accessible to the game server 12so that when the game card 22 is validated at the remote terminal 18through data exchange with the game server 12 prior to the beginning ofa game, the game server 12 will know the specific location for the gamecard 22 and the array of number spaces on the game card 22. Thus, apurported winning game card 22 can then be scanned at the remoteterminal 18 and the winning data is verified at the game server 12 bycomparing the known game card data with the scanned game data todetermine if the presented card is a winning game card.

In operation, the process for initial validation of the game card 22 atthe remote terminal 18 prior to commencing the game occurs inconjunction with the game server 12, as shown in the flowcharts of FIGS.3 & 4. In FIG. 3, the game card 22 is scanned and its data is sent tothe game server 12, as shown at step 30, typically from scanning the barcode 26, and then a determination is made as to whether the card is avalid game card, as shown at decision 32. If the game card 22 is notvalid, and error is output and the process is halted, as shown attermination 34. Otherwise, if the game card 22 is valid at decision 32,then the game card 22 is activated for one or more games. At this time,if so embodied, the serial number 28 can be printed on the game card 22and can indicate whatever data about the game card 22 is desired, e.g. awinning card, particular location, type of game, hashing of the barcode, etc.

FIG. 4 is the process for validating game card data at the game server12 receiving the game card data sent from the remote terminal 18 in FIG.3. The game card data is received, as shown at step 40, and then adetermination is made as to whether the game card data is valid, asshown at decision 42. If the game card data is not valid at decision 42,then an invalid game indication is returned to the remote terminal 18,as shown at step 44, and then the process returns to await further gamecard data. Otherwise, if valid game card data is presented at decision42, then an indication of valid game card data is returned to the remoteterminal 18, as shown at step 46, and then a determination is made as towhether to run the game for the activated cards, as shown at decision48. If it is not time to run a game at decision 48, then the processreturns to await new game card data at step 40. Otherwise, if it is timeto run a game for the activated game cards 22, then the game is run, asshown at step 50, and the game data is sent to the remote terminal 18,as shown at step 52.

The flowchart of FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment of a process forvalidating a winning game card 22 at a remote terminal 18 in conjunctionwith the game server 12. The purported winning game card is scanned(such by scanner 20) at the remote terminal 18 and the data is sent tothe game server 12, as shown at step 60. A determination is then made asto whether validation data has been returned fro the game server 12indicating that the game card 22 is winning. If the game card 22 is notindicated as a winner at decision 62, then the process returns an errorindicating that the game card 22 is not a winner, as shown attermination 64. Otherwise, if the game card 22 is indicated as a winnerat decision 62, then the remote terminal 18 indicates the winningstatus, as shown at step 66.

In conjunction with the process of FIG. 5, FIG. 6 is a flowchart of oneembodiment of the process for validating the sent winning game card dataat the game server 12, the winning game card data sent from one or moreremote terminals 18. The game card data for the purported winning gamecard 22 is received, as shown at step 70, and then the game data forthat game card is gathered, as shown in step 72. A determination is thenmade as to whether the game card data indicates a winning game card 22based upon the known game card data for that game card 22 (which couldhave been captured a the remote terminal 18 at the time ofinitialization/activation, or could be known from initial manufacture ofthe game card 22) compared with the specific game results for that gamecard 22.

If the game card data does not match the game data at decision 74, anon-winning card indicator is returned to the remote terminal 18, asshown at step 76 and the process returns to await further winning carddata for validation at step 70. Otherwise, if the game card data andgame data match at decision 74, then an indicator stating that the gamecard 22 is winning is returned to the remote terminal 18, as shown atstep 78, and then process returns to step 70 to await another game carddata for validation.

In another embodiment, the remote terminal 18 marks the cards duringvalidation, such as printing a serial number 28 on the game card 22 atthe time of validation. If the system 10 is so embodied where the gameresults are known to the game server 12 at the time of game card 22validation, the serial number 28 or other marking data can indicate thatthe game card 22 is a winning game card at the time of validation. Inanother embodiment, the bar code 26 can be associated with individual“products” or subsets of the group of Bingo cards or other products suchthat knowledge of the specific location where the products were sent,along with the knowledge of the remote terminal 18 specific location canbe correlated as a security measure in game cardinitialization/activation.

It should be appreciated that certain changes can be made in theelements of the system and steps of the method of the invention withoutdeparting from the underlying spirit and scope of the invention.

1. A method for conducting a card based game of chance for a charitywherein a game is played at a plurality of remote play locations and thecharity benefits from increased player participation, said methodcomprising: distributing game cards to purchasing players at a pluralityof remote locations, the game cards containing game data related to thegame of chance; at the remote locations and prior to initiation of thegame, exchanging the game data of each individual game card with acentral server location; performing a pre-game validation of the gamecards at the central server location and returning a valid or invalidcard indication to the respective remote locations for each game card;conducting the game of chance for the validated game cards at theplurality of remote locations; and at the remote locations, for anypurported winning cards, exchanging game data of such cards with thecentral server location and performing a post-game validation at thecentral server location of the purported winning cards.
 2. The method asin claim 1, wherein the game cards are scanned at the remote locationsand the card data is transmitted to the central server location, thepre-game validation step being based on the scanned and transmitted gamecard data.
 3. The method as in claim 2, wherein the pre-game validationstep compares the transmitted game card data to know game card data forthe respective game cards.
 4. The method as in claim 2, wherein gamecards deemed to be valid in the pre-game validation are activated in thecentral server for subsequent play.
 5. The method as in claim 1, whereinthe pre-game validation further comprises applying an information markto valid cards, the information mark containing information related tothe individual game card.
 6. The method as in claim 5, wherein theinformation mark comprises a serial number printed on the valid cards atthe remote locations.
 7. The method as in claim 1, wherein the pre-gamevalidation further comprises recording the location of validated cardsat the central server location.
 8. The method as in claim 1, wherein thepurported winning cards are scanned at the remote locations and the carddata is transmitted to the central server location, the post-gamevalidation comprising comparing the received game card data to knowngame card data for the respective cards.
 9. The method as in claim 8,wherein the known game card data corresponds to the game card datareceived from the pre-game validation.
 10. The method as in claim 9,wherein the pre-game validation further comprises recording the locationof validated cards at the central server location, and the post-gamevalidation comprises comparing the location of the purported winninggame cards to the location recorded from the pre-game validation. 11.The method as in claim 1, further comprising transmitting an invalidwinning game card to the respective remote locations for any purportedwinning game card deemed to be invalid in the post-game validation. 12.An apparatus system for simultaneously conducting a card based game ofchance at a plurality of remote play locations for a charity wherein thecharity benefits from increased player participation, said systemcomprising: a plurality of game cards distributed to remote purchasingplayers at the plurality of remote locations; a remote location terminalat each of the remote locations in communication with a central gameserver; a pre-game validation system wherein said remotely distributedgame cards are validated and activated by said central game server viasaid remote location terminals for subsequent play; and a post-gamevalidation system wherein any purported winning cards identified to saidcentral game server by said remote location terminals are validated bysaid central game server as a winning card.
 13. The system as in claim12, wherein said pre-game validation system comprises a scanner at eachof said remote location terminals whereby said remotely distributed gamecards are scanned and game card data is transmitted to said central gameserver and compared to known game card data for said respective scannedgame cards to validate said scanned game cards.
 14. The system as inclaim 13, wherein said remote location terminals further comprise aprinter configured to apply an information mark to said validated gamecards.
 15. The system as in claim 14, wherein said information markcomprises a unique serial number that identifies said respectivevalidated game card and remote location terminal where said game cardwas scanned.
 16. The system as in claim 12, wherein said post-gamevalidation system comprises a scanner at each of said remote locationterminals whereby purported winning game cards are scanned and game carddata is transmitted to said central game server and compared to knowngame card data for said respective scanned cards to validate saidremotely scanned game card as a winning card.
 17. The system as in claim16, wherein said central game server compares said scanned game datafrom the purported winning game cards to scanned data from said pre-gamevalidation system to validate the purported winning game cards.
 18. Thesystem as in claim 17, wherein said central game server compares thelocation of said remote location terminal of the purported winning gamecard to the location of said remote location terminal identified in saidscanned data from said pre-game validation system.
 19. The system as inclaim 16, wherein said central game server compares said scanned gamedata from the purported winning game cards to stored data known frommanufacture of said game cards.
 20. An apparatus system forsimultaneously conducting a card based game of chance at a plurality ofremote play locations for a charity wherein the charity benefits fromincreased player participation, said system comprising: a plurality ofgame cards distributed to remote purchasing players at the plurality ofremote locations; a remote location terminal at each of the remotelocations in communication with a central game server; means forconducting a pre-game validation wherein said remotely distributed gamecards are validated and activated by said central game server via saidremote location terminals for subsequent play; and means for conductinga post-game validation wherein purported winning cards identified tosaid central game server by said remote location terminals are validatedby said central game server as a winning card.
 21. The system as inclaim 20, wherein said pre-game validation means compares game card datatransmitted from said remote location terminals to known game card datafor said respective game cards to validate said game cards at saidremote play locations.
 22. The system as in claim 20, wherein saidpost-game validation means compares game card data for purported winninggame cards transmitted from said remote location terminals to known gamecard data for said respective game cards to validate winning game cards.23. The system as in claim 20, wherein said pre-game validation meanscompares game card data transmitted from said remote location terminalsto known game card data for said respective game cards to validate saidgame cards at said remote play locations, and said post-game validationmeans compares game card data for purported winning game cardstransmitted from said remote location terminals to game card datatransmitted from said remote location terminals for said pre-gamevalidation means to validate winning game cards.